Kevin Rice Named Mazda Europe's New Head Designer

LEVERKUSEN -- August 18, 2014: Kevin Rice will be
appointed as Mazda Motor Europe’s new design director effective 1
September. The 50-year-old British national returned last autumn as
creative director to Mazda’s European R&D Centre in Oberursel,
Germany, where he spent five years in the 1990s. Rice also gained valuable
automotive experience working at different brands in Europe, including BMW.
He succeeds Peter Birtwhistle, chief designer at Mazda Europe’s R&D
Centre, who is retiring after a successful 26-year stint with Mazda.

Birtwhistle joined Mazda in 1988 and has led Mazda Europe’s design
department since mid-1999. Among other things, he played an integral role
in developing Mazda’s “KODO – Soul of Motion”
design theme, which has been honoured with numerous prizes including the
2013 Auto Bild Design award for the new-generation Mazda6, and red dot
design awards in 2014 for the Mazda3 and 2013 for the Mazda6. Both models
were also finalists for the World Car Design of the Year award.

“Mazda has a long tradition in Europe for its stand-out designs
and is considered the most European of Japanese brands. This is in large
part thanks to Peter’s passion for design and for cars,” says
Mazda Motor Europe President & CEO Jeff Guyton. “I would like to
thank him for his contribution to Mazda’s success, and am certain we
can continue to count on Peter’s support and expertise. That said, we
are fortunate to have a successor of such great talent. Kevin will continue
Peter’s work, giving Mazda the necessary continuity while at the same
time representing a new generation of designers.”